Gamer Stats

[TinCow]

ESA has posted some interesting 2009 statistics on gamers in the US:

1. U.S. computer and video game software sales grew 22.9 percent in 2008 to $11.7 billion – more than quadrupling industry software sales since 1996.
2. Sixty-eight percent of American households play computer or video games.
3. The average game player is 35 years old and has been playing games for 12 years.
4. The average age of the most frequent game purchaser is 39 years old.
5. Forty percent of all game players are women. In fact, women over the age of 18 represent a significantly greater portion of the game-playing population (34 percent) than boys age 17 or younger (18 percent).
6. In 2009, 25 percent of Americans over the age of 50 play video games, an increase from nine percent in 1999.
7. Thirty-seven percent of heads of households play games on a wireless device, such as a cell phone or PDA, up from 20 percent in 2002.
8. Eighty-four percent of all games sold in 2008 were rated "E" for Everyone, "T" for Teen, or "E10+" for Everyone 10+. For more information on game ratings, please see www.esrb.org.
9. Ninety-two percent of game players under the age of 18 report that their parents are present when they purchase or rent games.
10. Sixty-three percent of parents believe games are a positive part of their children’s lives.

I've bolded the ones I find particularly interesting. I expected the average age to be high, but 35 is several years higher than I thought. Also nice to see that gender divide is quickly disappearing.

[Beskar]

Also, all those females would be playing WiiFit, not Call of Duty.

(Seriously, so many females I know with Wii's and Wiifit.. it is scary.)

[pevergreen]

I've come across a few that play L4D2.

MMO's as well. Portion in there.

[Scienter]

Also, all those females would be playing WiiFit, not Call of Duty.

(Seriously, so many females I know with Wii's and Wiifit.. it is scary.)

I think more women are playing shooters, rpgs, mmos, etc. now than in the past. Most of my female friends who play games are playing Dragon Age.

People assume that all I play is the Sims because I'm female. A common exchange: "I just got a new game!" "Oh really? Which Sims expansion did you get?"

[Meneldil]

MMO's as well. Portion in there.

MMO's are the new best way for an unattractive chick to get laid easily. So many sex-starving teenagers here.
Back when I played WoW, some guilds were glorified brothels. Add to that the fact that an important part of the MMO girly population is composed of goth and emo wannabes, and you get the picture.

I introduced my gf to WoW, so we could have some cyber fun together occasionally. I realized it was a bad idea 2 hours later, as she was getting cyber-hit on for the second time.

[Vladimir]

I think more women are playing shooters, rpgs, mmos, etc. now than in the past. Most of my female friends who play games are playing Dragon Age.

People assume that all I play is the Sims because I'm female. A common exchange: "I just got a new game!" "Oh really? Which Sims expansion did you get?"

Well hell, I need to find these people. A heavy dialogue game like DA:O likely attracts an interesting crowd.

[Husar]

The woman I regularly play MW2 with pretty much kicks my butt.
Not like i were good at that kind of game but she usually ranks right there at the top...

[Beskar]

I think more women are playing shooters, rpgs, mmos, etc. now than in the past. Most of my female friends who play games are playing Dragon Age.

People assume that all I play is the Sims because I'm female. A common exchange: "I just got a new game!" "Oh really? Which Sims expansion did you get?"

Want to introduce me to any of them?